| PiersBrand | 12 Dec 2014 4:49 p.m. PST |
Started on the first of two Rubicon tanks Im doing for the PSC display stand… so not really for me, but the first 28mm tanks I have done. Im doing the T34/76 as a Model 41 based upon a photo I have of a real one. Sadly you cant build a Model 40, despite the box saying you can, as they had a different turret, mantlet and gun. Rubicon seems a little loose on advertising variant that cant be built. I find that a little worrying, as if you bought it to build a Model 40, you may well feel a little annoyed… The sprues are crisp and clean, though I dont like the plastic used. Something odd about it. Reminds me of old Esci and Nitto kits from the 80s. That said it builds easily and simply, despite a few odd moments on the instructions. For instance it tells you to put the steel wheel backs on the rubber rimmed wheels… and the two rear hull variants cannot be mixed. If you do you will get a gap. Dry fit all parts first… but I'd do that with any kit. It actually looks ok when built. I do have some reservations. The side mounted fuel tanks are very plain and simple, and look slightly too squat. The annoying holes in the rear hull to mount rear fuel tanks that never seem to be fitted to Model 41s was a real pain as these need filling. Oddly the common side fuel tanks get no guide hole for placement… the rear fuel tanks are an odd choice. The small round tanks I have onky seen fitted to T34/85s during the Korean War and the box tanks seem more a feature of Model 43 tanks. Odd inclusion. Bit dissapointed no tow cable was supplied or other tools to mount on the tank. Those things aside, it does build into what most people will be happy with – a T34/76 for the first few years on the Eastern Front.
Base colour on…
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| PiersBrand | 12 Dec 2014 6:34 p.m. PST |
Decals on, some initial chipping and first oil wash…
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| khurasanminiatures | 12 Dec 2014 7:49 p.m. PST |
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| idontbelieveit | 12 Dec 2014 8:45 p.m. PST |
Dang. I didn't notice the holes in the back of the model that need to be filled, and I already started painting it! I like them quite a bit for doing tanks from the '42 ish timeframe but I'm pretty disappointed in the tracks. |
| number4 | 12 Dec 2014 9:22 p.m. PST |
The only way to make a model 1940 out of this is to swap out the gun and its housing as well as all the road wheels. The tracks (but not the wheels) are actually pretty good for 1941 as the so called 'waffle' tracks didn't appear until the 1942 model (T34/76c); the hull is also 1940 or 1941, turret 41 or 42 but the road wheels are 43/44 and most commonly seen on the 'Mickey Mouse' turret and the T.34/85 The round fuel drums came in before Kursk, so this model is definitely 'something for everyone' ;) |
| PiersBrand | 13 Dec 2014 8:11 a.m. PST |
More filters, followed by heavy paint chipping and metal wear using a pencil…
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| PiersBrand | 13 Dec 2014 8:42 a.m. PST |
Started adding some rain streaks and watermarks…
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Rdfraf  | 13 Dec 2014 8:46 a.m. PST |
Wow! I want to see a tutorial on how you painted and finished it. You used Vallejo paints but what colors did you use? |
| Big Red | 13 Dec 2014 9:56 a.m. PST |
Piers, Your talents are not scale specific! Thanks for sharing, Bill |
| Disco Joe | 13 Dec 2014 11:38 a.m. PST |
Yes it would be nice if you went into a breakdown of exactly what colors you used. |
| PiersBrand | 13 Dec 2014 11:40 a.m. PST |
Colours so far are just Tamiya Dark Green and Tamiya Flat Yellow. |
| Lion in the Stars | 13 Dec 2014 1:03 p.m. PST |
I guess if you put enough mud on the tracks it'll cover up the lack of detail on the 'inside' faces… I think we need to send a Department of Labor team to Piers' house, see if we can free some of those paintslaves he must have stashed in the basement… So I can employ one or two of them!  |
opens a box of dirt roads with shellholes and tread marks on them.
